Friday, September 26, 2014

Bad News, my dear clients, and fellow artists:Because of a certain unscrupulous "seller" on Etsy, I am now forced to watermark all my designs, in my color charts - that are on my Website. *Frowns* I know that watermarks are ugly, but these days they are necessary. :( All my clients still can get a decent view of the colors/designs, even in spite of the distraction that the watermarks cause. I am sorry, but I have to do it. I got at least the most important ones done, and I will continue to get them all done as soon as I can.Also, of Note: I no longer offer Casting Kits to go along with my tutorial, on eye casting. I took a chance offering them, but these days...the risk is too high. I am sorry for that as well. They will not even be offered by request either. This means no molds, and no color sheets.It is going to be a real bummer for those who want them, or to other artists like myself, who want to make their own using my designs. There are too many people out there that will "RIP" My hard work for their own re-selling benefits. You can blame this all on the people who have done exactly that...Yep even the price increase due out for 2015.I was afraid that this day would come, only that it did all too soon. "No good deed goes unpunished"

Monday, September 8, 2014

I have news, folks! I have just invested in some new supplies for my studio in hopes of bringing back full globe, and paperweight type doll eyes. I got some UV curing resin, along with the UV light, and have loads of Glass, and acrylic Globes on order. For years, I have been experimenting with different methods of trying to make some of these type eyes within a reasonable range of costs. I think this time, I can make them possibly as efficiently as my Flat backs.Sizes will be limited though. So when custom order requests open again in mid-January, I can only make the Globe types, and paperweight types in those specific sizes. (fortunately they are popular, and common sizes).The sizes are as follows:4mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 16mm, 20mm, and 25mm.Now,...the larger sizes (10mm-up) will only be available in Acrylic. The smaller sizes (8mm-down): Glass.The eyes will be limited to White Scleral banding. Which means: No HR treatment, or colored banding. If you want those, you will have to stick to my Flat-Backs.Depending on what kind of stem wire I can use, will dictate whether I can offer loop backs, or not. You can opt to not have stems at all if that is your choice. Pricing will reflect that option.The Acrylic eyes will be available in paperweight style. However... the glass ones naturally cannot be safely cut, or ground into a paperweight kind of shape.Pricing:Yes, dear clients...Prices will go up next year. It is unavoidable. Supply must meet demand, and vice-versa. I cannot keep up with the most popular sizes, with the demands for them in my studio. I have to take into account inflation too. It is not just happening in the food, and utility departments, also shipping costs have gone up as well, especially when shipping overseas, and across borders. (Canada, and Mexico). Even Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii.I will be simplifying 2015 price points:A number, or group of common sizes will be priced in a certain per pair bracket, instead of based on Millimeter size. Super small, and larger sizes will still be priced separately per pair. I plan to offer batch quantities like sets in the shop, for those who say, for an example like a particular color series. I will list some as sets of 3, 6, and 12. Final note: I will no longer offer 3mm sizes in an AD2, and AD3 type format. (Detail, and color is impossible). I can only make them in standard AD ratio, and AD4 ratio, also of course as irises only. I will only cast them upon special request. They will also cost more per pair. Why?... Because (1): I cannot handle such micro sizes like I used to. (2): If they drop...They are gone...They fall in between the cracks of my hard wood flooring. And (3): Yield is horrible! I have to cast at least 4 pairs, just to get 1 acceptable quality pair. I throw away more than I can sell. "You can do the Math."Well...That just about covers everything planned for the new Year 2015. If anyone has any questions, I'm here...Drop me a line! ;)

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Very first thing...I really must apologize to any followers still left here of this blog. I seem to have forgotten about it completely. ...I am sorry about that. A year is a long time to let things lapse like this.This year, was super busy with casting orders for doll eyes. every year it is even more so than the last. (A good thing I suppose). A lot of things have happened in my life, but I will keep things relative to this Blogs purpose.The casting season has closed, and I am booked up completely. There will still be listings going up in the Etsy shop, as well as the Artfire shop. (One is solely for eyes, the other is for everything else, more or less.)links here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/dreamingtreestudioAnd here: http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/DreamingTreeStudioI still do not know what I plan to finish, and/or work on this half of the season, as my motivation, and muse are coming to blows. I have several unfinished projects just laying around, and I have to also worry about my own physical health as well. I never was any good at multi-tasking. :/ I have A purple needlefelted 'Owlie' to finish, three-no four 'Foos' to flesh out, several unfinished wooden boxes to pyrograph, three 'FyreFlytts' that need their wings finished, and a Windstone PYO Keeper Dragon only begun, that has been sitting patiently inside his cloche watching the years go by. ("Yes...I said YEARS!") And those are only a sparse few things I have going on. I can state I am overwhelmed, to say the least. When I began to make doll eyes, I had no idea of how much of my time they would consume. It can be burdensome at times, But I understand the need. My health has been becoming more important than ever, now that I am already 40. "My,...has the time gone by!" I need to carve out time to exercise, and lose weight. I hope that the Cross-Country Ski Trainer Poles come soon. (Thank you my love, for that birthday present!). I am hoping they help take the stress off my back, and knees while walking. It is a small step on my road to wellness I suppose. Because of Fibromyalgia, I have better days than others. It can be so difficult to keep up a schedule in any shape or form. Sleep has been lacking, and weather can really mess stuff up as well. The thing with FM, is that it does not just affect you physically, but does so mentally as well. "I'm not talking in specific with things like depression, although it is common...but more for me focus, and memory." (They do not call it "FM Fog" for nothing, ya know.) I have learned to take things one day at a time. I have accepted that I cannot get everything done that I would like to, and I still feel guilty for being lazy at times. It helps knowing some of it is not my fault.It shall be a "Wait, and see" sort of year I guess. :)Please like my studio page on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dreaming-Tree-Studio/259992160699999?ref_type=bookmarkAnd follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CozmicDreamer74To see most of the wonderful things I have done already, please visit my Website:http://dreamingtreestudio.com/Thanks again!Amanda Martin of Dreaming Tree Studio

About Me

I am artist with many skills; Mural Painting, Pyrography, Watercolor, Oils, Acrylic, Pen and Ink, Graphite, Colored pencil, Etching, General Crafts, Glass Painting, Floral Arranging, and Sculpture.
I am best at animal realism, landscapes, seascapes, and interpretations of sky, and clouds. I also enjoy Fantasy Art, People really love my Dragons.
My skills are mainly self-taught, I have many awards going back all the way through to Junior high. I believe I have wonderful creations to offer.
I newly have developed skills in designing, and creating artificial eyes for doll makers, crafters, as well as for costume, and special effects.